A little bit about Dawn
Dawn Doherty, was born in NYC and raised in Castlebar Co. Mayo, Ireland. She developed a love of Irish music having been immersed into music and singing at an early age by her mother Maryanne and Father Joe, both with a family history of music. Dawn is an All-Ireland champion musician and singer competing in various competitions, including Fleadh Cheoil, an Oireachtas, Readoiri, and Scor. Dawn has performed professionally as both a solo artist and as part of CCE Comhaltas group throughout the United States and Europe with the Castlebar branch of CCE, Co. Mayo
Pursuing her passion for music and teaching, Dawn received an Honors BA Degree in Irish Music and Dance from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick, Ireland and an Honors Master’s Degree in Music Therapy. After graduating from the University of Limerick, Dawn worked in Cherry Orchard hospital Dublin as a Music Therapist working with adults with neurological disabilities, and privately with children and adults with special needs in hospitals, nursing homes and primary schools all over Connaught. After Dawn moved to NY, she went back to school to study for her second Master’s Degree, and she graduated with first class honors from Lehman College University with a Master’s Degree in Science and Education, Special Education in 2016.
Dawn was recognized by the Irish Echo for the 40 under 40 awards in 2019, and she was the winner of the People’s Choice Awards. Most recently, in October 2022, Dawn was the recipient of the Irish American Community Service Award by The American Irish Association of Westchester, NY. In March 2023, Dawn was honored as Mayo Woman of the Year 2023 by the Mayo Society of NY.
Dawn’s music background is extensive, and she hails from a family of musicians. However, she credits her grandmother, Sarah Lynskey who hailed from the Gaeltacht area of Belmullet, Co. Mayo for introducing her to the Sean-nos style of singing. She has mastered this style over the years and has performed annually as a guest artist for the St. Patrick’s Day festivities in St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Dawn has performed for former Mayor(s) Michael Bloomberg and Rudolph Guiliani of NYC and for the former US Consulate General Ambassador (s) for Ireland Mr. Niall Burgess, and Ms. Jean Kennedy Smith. She was invited and has performed in prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center in NYC and Wolf Trap, Virginia with the legendary Country and Western music star Ricky Skaggs.
Since her time in NY, Dawn started the Dawn Doherty Academy of Irish Music and Singing at the Aisling Irish Community Center and St Mark’s School, Yonkers, NY. She currently has close to 100 students attending Irish Music and Singing Classes. Dawn is also the Music Director of the Aisling Irish Center Ballad Group and is Co-director of the Aisling Irish Center Ceili Band along with her teaching partner Frankie Mc Cormick. Both groups have been a huge success here in NY winning the Irish Echo Arts & Culture Awards and appearing on the RTE Late Late Christmas Toy Show in Ireland, and News 12 Christmas Day. They traveled to County Mayo for the HOME TO MAYO EVENT and played on stage with world renown Irish Musicians and Singers.
Dawn’s Academy of Irish Music & Singing traveled to Nashville in April 2023 performing outside on the grounds of the Grand Ole Opry. In June, 10 of Dawn’s students performed at Carnegie Hall, NY singing with selected choirs from all over the US.
Dawn is an advocate for promoting Irish language, and her students recently competed in the Irish Language competition at the Mid Atlantic Fleadh Cheoil in Parsipanny.
Her students have had several winnings since starting her music school, most notably winning All Ireland medal at the All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil for music and singing in Ireland.
Dawn has truly found a way to merge her love of Irish music and signing and is committed to passing on those skills and her love of music to the next generation of budding Irish musicians and singers.